Benefits of bilingualism in the sphere of education

The article examines the effective part of the phenomenon of bilingualism in the education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan with an emphasis on the specifics of the parallel learning of English and Kazakh languages. In addition the analysis of scientific pedagogical literature in linguistics, philosophy  and pedagogy, psycholinguistics, social linguistics. The study identifies the main trends, types and aspects of multilingual education. In this article emphasizes the role of bilingualism in the field of intercultural communication, as well as in everyday life. The authors made appropriate conclusions regarding native ethnolingual in formation of secondary language personality. Researchers indicated the importance of a language of international communication together with knowledge of native language, contributing to the growth of the state's image in the international arena. The authors pointed out that research shows the importance of the development of the main types of speech activity: listening, speaking, reading, writing within the framework of bilingual education.

In many ways bilingualism refers to speaking more than one language competently. Many people all over the world consider bilinguals to be exceptional. However, nearly half of the world's population speaks more than one language. The Constitution of the country declared the Kazakh language as the state language and the Russian language as the official language, after Kazakhstan gained its independence. The main purpose of the document was to preserve the interethnic integrity and to avoid the dysfunction of the language environment of the society. The status of the language of friendship, peace and interethnic communication was given to Russian language. In the context of globalization, the demand for the knowledge of English is undeniable. Nowadays, the English language is taught in pre-school institutions; knowledge of English is  also important in continuing education. The young generation will lead the country to the future. The system of education is the main social institution that influences the formation of a young person as a competitive professional.

There are many different definitions for bilingualism, but the most common definition according to Hamers and Blanc is that the people who can speak two languages as native languages can be defined as bilingual. The word "bilingualism" has several different definitions. Hamers and Blanc  define  bilingualism as «the state of a linguistic community in which two languages are in contact with the result that two codes can be used in the same interaction and that a number of individuals are bilingual». Webster's dictionary's as  cited in Hamers and Blanc definition of bilingualism is "Having or using two languages especially as spoken with the fluency characteristic of a native speaker; a person using two languages especially habitually and with control like that of a native speaker; the constant oral use of two languages". So, according to this definition only the people who can speak two languages perfectly can be defined as bilingual [1]. There is, however, a more flexible interpretation of the term. Scientists believe that anyone who can speak, write, read or understand another language besides his or her native language even to a small extent can be defined as bilingual. Besides these two different views on bilingualism, there are also many others that are somewhere between the two extremes. For instance, the scholar Titone defines bilingualism as «the individual's capacity to speak a second language while following the concepts and structures of that language rather than paraphrasing his or her mother tongue». And Mohanty takes a similar approach by claiming that «bilingual persons and communities are those with an ability to meet the communicative demands of the self and the society in their normal functioning in two or more languages in their interaction with the other speakers of any or all of these languages» [2]. It is very difficult to provide only one correct definition because all the definitions mentioned before raise questions, such as, what is meant by native-like competence or by minimal proficiency in a second language. In the present study we are following the more restrictive approach to bilingualism and focus on the native-like speakers of two languages who can use and switch languages fluently. 

The bilingualism is investigated from the different points of view: philosophical – in the works of  K.Kh. Khanazarov, M.S. Dzhunusov, D.I. Marinesku; ethno-sociological and socio-lingual – in the works of Yu.D. Desheriyev, I.F. Protchenko, M.N. Guboglo, M.I. Isayev, A.E. Karlinsky, et al. psycho-lingual – in the works of L.V. Shcherba, U. Vinerihe, Yu.A. Zhluktenko, L.S. Vygotsky; philological  – in the works of L.V. Shcherba, N. Mikhailenko, B.Kh. Khasanova, et al.

There are different definitions of the bilingualism in the scientific literature, for example, K.Kh. Khanazarov  determines  bilingualism  as  «the  knowledge  of  two  languages  and  usage  of  them»;  according to Dzhunusov bilingualism means «socio-lingual phenomenon which appeared in the result of multilingual nation’s communication» [3].

Scientists and researchers in bilingualism agreed that  the benefits of bilingualism can be grouped into   4 major categories: personal, cognitive, academic and societal.

The personal benefit of bilingualism is embodied in these two important points:

1. The bilingual person has an access to two different languages and cultures, and hence to more people and resources. This definitely enriches the life experience of the bilingual person simply because he or she will be more able to communicate with different people than the monolingual
2. As indicated in the Bilingual Family website, when the bilingual's parents are from two different languages and cultures, knowing the language of each parent will give the bilingual child a sense of identity and belonging toward both parents and members of the extended

The cognitive benefit of bilingualism is represented in these two points:

1. As illustrated earlier in Ben-Zeev's study, bilingualism in children fosters metalinguistic awareness; children using two languages understand that one idea can be expressed in different ways. This provides young children with an insight into the construction and function of language. The metalinguistic awareness is an important element in the development of the children's intellectual abilities because when children shift from one language to another, they compare the two languages, which helps them to see how language as a communication system really works. This enhances conceptualization as well as analytical and creative thinking on the part of the young
2. Many researchers and educators were suggested, bilinguals are more sensitive to non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, gestures and tone of

The Academic Benefit:

1. As mentioned earlier, young children who received foreign language instruction outperformed their monolingual peers who did not receive any language
2. As Bialystok concluded from her extensive research on bilingualism, learning a foreign language at a very young age can clearly benefit children’s reading
3. There is no 'critical period' for language acquisition, as had been believed; there is an advantageous period to learn a new language. It is easier and quicker for a three-year old child to reach an age of appropriate command of a new language than it is for a 13-year old teenager [4].

The Societal Benefit:

We live in the age of globalization where the whole world is just like a small village. To make this globalization possible, people should be able to speak languages other than their native ones. Here comes the value of bilingualism because bilingual people in a society are the ones who connect it better to the international market. Thus bilingual knowledge is a strong asset to the society.

We hold to the following classification based on a level of language mastering (especially of the second). According to this position we can determine two types of bilingualism:

1. Subordinated bilingualism (mixed, imperfective). In this case a person can’t speak the second language perfectly, that is why we can find mistakes in the speech of the learned language, i.e. practical interference is on
2. Coordinated bilingualism (clear, perfect; autonomous – the term of L.V. Shcherba). In this case a person can speak a foreign language as a native one, and we can’t find mistakes in his speech, i.e. interference is

The final aim of the bilingualism formation is an achievement of the coordinated type of bilingualism (clear, perfect, autonomous).

The scientists engaged with learning of the bilingualism in social aspect use terms ‘social’ and ‘sociolingual’  as  synonyms.  But  also  we  can  meet  differentiated  usage  of  these  terms.  For  example,   Yu.D. Desheriyev and I.F. Protchenko determine bilingualism as «… knowledge of two languages in the known forms of their existence to express ideas in comprehensive form notwithstanding the degree of interference display; and also the usage of inner language by a bilingual person in the writing process and oral communication in the second language; and the skill to comprehend the foreign speech and messages with a full understanding» [5].

B.N. Golovin thinks that bilingualism «is a functioning of two languages on the one and the same territory, and in the same ethnic sphere. In other words, we can say it is the usage of two languages in the process of communication by the same nation» [6].

Humans need an organized medium of communication in any given social set up. This medium is normally referred to as language. Though it appears difficult to clearly define the term language due to its social complexity, it is generally agreed amongst linguistic intelligentsia that it is a system of symbols designed for the purposes of communication. This system involves a collection of entities organized into a whole and arranged in such a way that they work together to achieve a particular function. Language as a medium of communication amongst humans possesses numerous attributes such as being governed by rules, is a system and performs such functions as giving information, expressing feelings and emotions, establishing rapport, exercising authority and an identity marker. As humans use more than one language then terminologies such as bilingualism, trilingualism and multilingualism arise.

In general, the functional differentiation of languages tend to give rise to other ways of classifying languages as mother tongue (first language of a speaker), vernacular (language spoken in a particular area or specific group of people but not generally an official), national, official and the global or international languages.

The education referred to in this article is not only the formal one but also the informal one. The difference is just the procedure of disseminating knowledge and skills, and the place where teaching and learning are undertaken. The other native languages are just acquired especially at the rural homes where cosmopolitan atmosphere does not tend to interfere with the native language acquisition. The other foreign languages are taught at tertiary colleges and university for proficiency. However, in addition to the two languages namely English, Kazakh as native language, the undeveloped sign language also tends to exist amongst the people in any given speech community in Kazakhstan. These sign languages normally vary from one society to the other. Bilingualism practice is not only particular to Kazakhstan alone but also witnessed in many other countries. Before discussing benefits of bilingualism in education, we have found it necessary to give a glimpse of how many people speak more than one language. However, with the increased population of people in the world the number of bilinguals may be currently twofold. This increased number of speakers is probably attributed to the regionalism and internationalism principles that are now embraced by many countries especially in the field of trade and commerce, innovation and also the technological advancements. These principles call for the speakers to be proficient in the working languages to effectuate communication.

The scholars consider discussing the benefits of practicing multilingualism in the education sector not only in the formal education in learning institutions alone but also informal circumstances probably at  homes. Therefore, some major benefits of bilingualism in education whether formal or informal include the following: Knowledge of more than two languages allows us to communicate with many people in both personal and professional contexts. This is owing to the fact that the vast amount of knowledge that people posses is often only effectively accessible through particular languages whether official or unofficial. Therefore multilingualism is a big resource. When one knows the official language and perfectly speaks the indigenous languages then the person will be able to synthesis knowledge and express it accordingly. It is therefore necessary to include indigenous languages in education so as to realize the benefits of synthesizing and clearly expressing knowledge. Speaking one language can also be equated to a holophrastic stage of language development. This means that a monolingual can be regarded as one who is still in the process of language acquisition and development and should learn other languages to effectuate multi-communication. Thus bilingualism opens doors for quicker and easy communication. Bilingualism practices enhance intellectual flexibility and creativity. Recent studies have indicated that children who grow up in a supportive environment speaking more than one language from an early age are more perceptive and intellectually flexible than those who speak one language. By using the ‘double first language acquisition’ model as indicated by [7], children with parents constantly speaking different languages grow up being equally fluent and comfortable with the two home languages and can even learn a third and fourth language. Though this research focussed on the home contexts, this is also practical in the classroom contexts whereby students who are exposed to many languages will tend to be intellectually flexible.

Enhancement of intellectual flexibility is corroborated by various viable findings. While studying extensively on multilingualism practices, a speech and language therapist Dr. Elsie Naude from Pretoria realised that when parents encourage children to acquire additional languages then they are also investing in the child intellectually. Thus, many children who are fluent in more than one language are superior lateral thinkers, have a greater social adaptability, their thinking and reasoning skills are better, and their cognitive abilities are also greater. A case in point is explained by that children who speak at least two languages do better in school than those who speak one language. Recent research done by University of London Institute of Education (ULIE) concerning studies on bilingualism proved that when you speak two languages you do better in school [8].

We know that bilingualism provides an insight into the understanding of different cultures and experiences hence a multilingual becomes multicultural in nature. Since languages don’t operate in a vacuum, culture and society play a key role in its existence. This is because language is a sociolinguistic, an ethno linguistic and a psycholinguistic issue. Thus language relies on society, culture and mind. In this regard, bilingualism enhances an automatic understanding and appreciation of cultural values of the societies that are contained in the concerned languages. The experiences gained from learning different languages automatically tend to change the attitudes, skills, beliefs of the people, society and create an expansion of world view. All these attributes are formally taught in classroom and informally in the daily communication outside classroom.

Language skills are productive especially in the individual’s role as a consumer and in the role as a producer. Those deficient in language skills find it very costly. It is therefore beneficial to have many languages entrenched in an education system in order to get a solid and an all round human capital.

Bilingualism helps in national unity especially if people learn national languages besides their indigenous languages and lingua franca. Politicians and other leaders can use bilingualism by promoting a national language so as to work as viable roadmap in national unity and development. For this to be fruitful, multilingualism in education calls for the involvement of language education communication skills which is an essential tool for the development of the learner’s speaking and writing abilities. Application of communicative language teaching focusing on linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, socio-cultural, social and strategic competences and drama can help in the achievement of bilingualism in education. These can be realised by continuous use of these competences in education. Furthermore, grammar translation, direct method (teaching using the target language), reading method, use of audio lingual and audiovisual approaches can also be applied in teaching languages in a bilingual set up.

Encouraging the use of indigenous languages in education besides the national and official languages enhances bilingualism. This fact has been clearly stated in the UNESCO report that education is somewhat most effective through mother tongue instructions. This is happening because speech communities already have the communicative competence and also assigned appropriately various lexemes to the objects in their physical and cultural milieu. Thus, learning a different language may not be difficult but will always be supported by the knowledge gained from the first language.

Making dictionaries and publishing of grammar and story books in any language are the fastest ways of spurring language growth and preservation. For example, in Kazakhstan, we have bilingual dictionaries. This encourage the production of many more bilingual, trilingual and even multilingual dictionaries to ease communication hence enhancing multilingualism. Writing and staging drama and poetry in indigenous languages can help in the enhancement of bilingualism practices in education. In order to enhance bilingualism in education, foreign languages should be introduced as common courses and or medium of instruction for teaching specialised disciplines. The government has realized the importance of involving other foreign languages in its proposed good programmes. The programmes include for example the study of English language for engineers, for business studies and for tourism. This can be replicated as a viable step in enhancing official bilingualism in education in Kazakhstan. Besides, acquiring knowledge and skills in these programmes, learners will be able to gain proficiency in these languages. Developing and training both foreign and indigenous language teachers are very instrumental steps to help in the achievement of bilingualism practices in education. This can be achieved by training more teachers both indigenous and foreign languages in the training institutions. There should also be an establishment of translation bodies with linguistic experts to help in the translation of both indigenous and foreign languages [9].

We should always try to avoid imposing these languages to the people, when foreign and indigenous languages are included in the bilingualism practices in education. A keen measure and clear framework should be taken into account because imposing languages to people is dangerous and may cause tensions amongst different ethnic and or speech communities. In a nut shell, depending on the composition of the society, multilingualism practice in education should embrace the native, national, official and foreign languages as equal partners in the language policy development and education.

References

1. Hamers, F. & Blanc, M. (2000). Bilinguality and Bilingualism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. Bussmann, (1996). Rout ledge Dictionary of Language and linguistics, London, Rout ledge.
3. Dzhunusov, M.S. (1989). Sotsialnyi aspekt bilinhvizma v SSSR [Social aspects of bilingualism in the USSR]. Sotsiolohiia i ideolohiia – Sociology and ideology. Moscow [in Russian].
4. King, A. (2007). Speaking in Tongues. In Reader’s Digest, Readers Digest Association, Inc.,
5. Desheriyev, Yu.D., Protchenko, I.F. (1972). Osnovnye aspekty issledovaniia dvuiazychiia i mnohoiazychiia [Principal aspects of bilingualism investigation]. Problemy dvuiazychiia i mnohoiazychiia – The problems of bilingualism and multilingualism. Moscow: Nauka [in Russian].
6. Golovin, N. (1980). Osnovy kultury rechi [The basis of speech culture]. Moscow: Vysshaia shkola [in Russian].
7. Khasanov, B. (1990). Kazakhsko-russkoe khudozhestvenno-literaturnoe dvuiazychie [Kazakh-Russian artistic and literal bilingualism]. Almaty: Rauan [in Russian].
8. Shaimerdenova, N.G. (1996). Iazykovaia situatsiia v Kazakhstane i problemy perevoda [Lingual situation in Kazakhstan and translation problems]. Iazykovye problemy perevoda – Lingual translation problems, 86–87. Almaty [in Russian].
9. Nyyazbekova, K.S. (2015). Formirovanie dvuiazychiia i mnohoiazychiia v Kazakhstane [Formation of bilingualism and multilingualism in Kazakhstan]. Uspekhi sovremennoho  estestvoznaniia  –  Advances  in  current  natural  sciences,  1-7,  1243–1245 [in Russian].